“I’ve been watching you for quite a long time…”
My eyes widened at those words.
‘Watching me…?’
I couldn’t easily believe it.
After all, I had always thought he wasn’t interested in me.
‘Yeah, he’s just being polite.’
Just as I thought that and let out a hollow laugh, Erich spoke.
“Whenever your hair is mentioned, your expression was always neutral, but your eyes always looked sad. Just like when I… handed you the handkerchief in the palace.”
Even though he had caught me crying, I was certain he wouldn’t know the reason behind my tears.
After our marriage, he had suddenly become cold, so I thought he wouldn’t even remember my sadness.
However, the quiet words that came from him showed he knew exactly why I was sad.
Honestly, it felt strange.
‘How on earth do you…’
The resentment and expectation I held toward him mixed together, creating turmoil within me.
And the result was a heart that raced fiercely.
‘I still…’
At that moment, he said,
“But now, there’s no reason to be sad. Your hair will become a symbol of glory from now on.”
‘A symbol of glory?’
As I blankly repeated that meaningful phrase in my mind, he smiled brightly.
“I assure you, starting today, everyone will recognize your nobility.”
I couldn’t suppress my curiosity and was about to ask him.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
As he listened to Cornelia, Erich was doubting his own ears, questioning whether this was reality.
‘You’re on my side…?’
It was the first time he had heard such words from his family.
Moreover, since Cornelia had already turned away in disappointment, he thought he would never hear such words from her.
‘Is this a dream?’
If it were a dream, it was quite an extravagant one.
However, the warmth coming from her hand was telling him that this was not a dream.
Erich felt something heavy stirring inside his chest.
It was an unfamiliar emotion, but he could guess what it was.
It was the feeling of being moved.
‘I don’t know if I deserve to hear such extravagant words. But…’
The anxiety still lingered because the cause remained.
Yet at least Erich could regain his composure.
The comfort she offered brought a faint light to his heart, which had been filled with anxiety.
‘You’ve always…’
Finally, a girl appeared in his mind.
She was the one who had first asked him if he was okay when he was younger.
<Are you okay?>
At that moment, her voice echoed in his mind.
“Are you okay?”
Erich clenched his teeth and swallowed his tears.
Even then and now, for him, salvation came solely from her.
“Your expression doesn’t look good. Please say something, okay?”
He was holding back his words, afraid he might make a mistake.
But seeing her worry for him, Erich hurriedly spoke up.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Even if this was just a fleeting memory for her, for him, it was salvation—a memory he would never forget for the rest of his life.
With this one memory, he could endure any pain.
Erich wanted to express his gratitude to the one who saved him.
“Cornelia.”
“Yeah?”
When he called her softly, she answered immediately.
However, he had never shared warm or embarrassing words with anyone in his life.
He was so lacking in eloquence that he couldn’t think of what to say in moments like this.
In the end, what came out of his mouth was a brief phrase.
“…Thank you.”
Without realizing it, Erich let out a sigh.
‘What an idiot, is this all I can say…’
However, upon hearing those words, Cornelia wore a brilliant smile.
“I should be the one thanking you. Thank you for being on my side until now.”
Feeling a ticklish and strange sensation all over his body, Erich finally revealed a smile.
And watching Erich and Cornelia from a distance, Reinhardt furrowed his brow.
‘Damn it, they’re stuck together again.’
Though he was skilled at hiding his emotions, every time he saw them whispering to each other, his expression couldn’t help but contort.
‘It doesn’t matter. Soon, I won’t have to see that anymore.’
Reinhardt sipped the water that was on the table while gazing at the Emperor.
At the Emperor’s words, his aide, Marquis Philippe, spoke up.
“Then I will resume the meeting.”
Though the Emperor was on the verge of death, he was still fulfilling his role at this moment.
As the surroundings fell silent, the Emperor’s voice could be heard.
“Then, the Grand Madam shall begin her statement again.”
At those words, Reinhardt’s gaze shifted to the Grand Madam.
‘Come on, speak up. About the mistakes you’ve made.’
Medelin was also staring at the Grand Madam with anxious eyes.
‘Aunt, what are we going to do now? The ones who can live should live. So, please just die alone.’
And Marquis Arzen was waiting for her to confess all her sins and take the blame for everything.
‘That way, the Arzen family can be revived.’
Receiving those expectant gazes, the Grand Madam opened her mouth.
“I originally thought my son would marry Medelin Arzen. However, suddenly we became connected to the Imperial Palace, and to be honest, I did not like my current daughter-in-law.”
At that response, the nobles murmured, and the Emperor’s face contorted.
Meanwhile, Reinhardt, Medelin, and Marquis Arzen were holding back their laughter.
In particular, Medelin was smirking at Cornelia with triumphant eyes.
‘Oh my, what’s this? Your mother-in-law is publicly disparaging you?’
However, contrary to Medelin’s expectations, Cornelia wore a calm expression without a hint of disturbance.
Finally, the Grand Madam continued.
“So, in order to hurt my daughter-in-law’s feelings, I did not refuse Medelin Arzen and brought her into my home. I also sent her to my son occasionally.”
The Emperor’s face grew increasingly grim.
Erich, too, was clenching his teeth, suppressing his anger at those words.
However, Cornelia remained expressionless.
“Then one day, my daughter-in-law began to rebel against me. In the midst of my anger and resentment, I received news of her pregnancy.”
Erich, thinking that perhaps the Grand Madam would reveal the truth here, unconsciously clenched his fists and glared at her.
The Grand Madam chuckled and continued.
“I saw it as an opportunity. An opportunity to break that arrogant daughter-in-law’s spirit.”
At those words, Cornelia furrowed her brow and muttered quietly.
“For such a trivial reason…”
Watching Cornelia’s reaction, Medelin smiled with satisfaction and looked back at the Grand Madam.
‘Aunt, you’ve worked hard. Please rest well in the afterlife. I’ll take care of your son…’
At that moment, Medelin’s eyes met those of the Grand Madam.
As a chill ran down her spine, Medelin froze.
“At first, I only intended to surprise my daughter-in-law. If she were to get hurt, our family would also be responsible. However, as my plans continued to fail, my intentions grew increasingly malicious. It was then that Medelin Arzen approached me, offering her advice.”
‘What is that woman saying right now?’
Medelin was so flustered that she hadn’t grasped the situation properly. In that moment, the Grand Madam continued speaking rapidly.
“And the advice Medelin gave me was to directly harm Cornelia. She said that if Cornelia were to get hurt and lose the child during the process, it would be deemed an unfortunate accident, and the royal family wouldn’t be able to say anything.”
Only then did Medelin snap back to reality and shout.
“That’s a lie! I never said anything like that!”
But her voice was drowned out by the Grand Madam’s.
“Don’t you dare lie! Haven’t you always said that to me? That you wanted to be my daughter-in-law! And that you would prepare to take Cornelia’s assets in case things went wrong!”
“W-What assets! Stop making things up…”
“It’s about Cornelia’s private assets! The mines, and even the current Herde territory, you tried to take them through the Empress!”
At that, Marquis Arzen looked elsewhere, while the Emperor glared at the Marquis with a fierce gaze, as if he had some inkling of what was happening.
Reinhardt, watching them, contorted his face in confusion.
‘What on earth is going on? I was sure the drug had been administered. But why…?’
The Grand Madam’s face still looked haggard.
However, at that moment, she was not speaking in riddles.
‘What in the world is happening…!’
At that moment, he made eye contact with Erich.
Erich was smirking at him.
As if this entire situation was intentional.
‘Could it be that scoundrel…!’
Thinking back, there were many strange things.
It was clear that the drug was supposed to be given to Sardin, but it was Karon who went crazy.
And Robert’s sudden betrayal was odd as well.
Evan’s sudden disappearance was strange too.
‘Yes, it’s clear that everything was that bastard’s doing.’
Realizing that he had been played by Erich all along, Reinhardt gritted his teeth.
But he still had a trump card left.
‘I had originally planned to assign that role to the Grand Madam, but I suppose it wouldn’t matter if I stepped in myself.’
He quietly watched the dogfight between Medelin and the Grand Madam, waiting for the right moment.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Honestly, listening to the Grand Madam’s testimony made my anger boil.
However, the reason wasn’t that she disliked me or wanted Medelin as her daughter-in-law.
‘Those heinous acts, all just to break my spirit…?’
It was the realization that such a trivial reason was behind their attempt to kill my child.
‘How could she do that? No matter what, it’s her own grandson…’
As I unconsciously tightened my grip, Erich firmly held my hand.
“Cornelia.”
Hearing his voice softly call my name, I looked at him and saw his eyes.
Those two eyes looking at me were filled with deep remorse.
Eventually, he whispered softly.
“I’m truly sorry for putting you through such an ordeal.”
I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
‘Well, at least one person feels remorse.’
Thinking back, Erich had tried to ensure I was comfortable, even though he knew my child was another man’s.
And seeing the reason he had hidden my pregnancy from the Grand Madam before my regression, I could understand it now.
‘He was trying to protect me. Because his mother is such a person.’
Although it was bitter that the Grand Madam held animosity toward me, it was still something beyond my control.
‘No matter how well I treat her, she will always hate me.’
However, there were still many things about his actions before the regression that I couldn’t understand.
Just as I was bitterly smiling, the Emperor’s voice echoed.
“Yes, I know very well what you two have done. Guards, take those wicked ones away immediately…”
At that moment, someone interrupted the Emperor’s voice.
“Your Majesty, please wait a moment. There is something I must say.”
It was Reinhardt.
The Emperor frowned, showing his displeasure.
“What is it? If you’re trying to interfere with my judgment over trivial matters, I won’t forgive you either.”
Reinhardt then bowed his head.
“It is not a trivial matter, which is why I must speak now. The Grand Madam is giving false testimony.”
“What? What lie has she told?”
Reinhardt glared at me, or rather at Erich, as he opened his mouth.
“The reason the Grand Madam tried to eliminate the royal grandchild is that the Duke Blant over there is a fake.”
holy s***